Ceramic electronic component

ABSTRACT

A ceramic electronic component includes a ceramic base, first and second internal electrodes, and first and second external electrodes. The first external electrode is disposed at a first end portion of a first major surface in the longitudinal direction. The second external electrode is disposed at a second end portion of the first major surface in the longitudinal direction. A portion of each of the first and second external electrodes is opposed in the thickness direction to a region where the first and second internal electrodes are opposed to each other in the thickness direction. A condition ( 1/10)t 0 ≦t 1 ≦(⅖)t 0  is satisfied, where t 0  is the thickness of each of the first and second external electrodes and t 1  is the thickness of a portion in which each of the first and second external electrodes is embedded in the first major surface.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a ceramic electronic component.

2. Description of the Related Art

With a reduction in the size and thickness of an electronic device, suchas a cellular phone and a portable music player, the size of a circuitboard mounted on the electronic device has also been reduced. Inresponse to this, there is a great need for a reduction in the thicknessand size of a ceramic electronic component included on the circuitboard.

One example of an approach to reducing the thickness of a ceramicelectronic component is a method of embedding an external electrode in amajor surface of a ceramic base described in Japanese Unexamined PatentApplication Publication No. 2005-44921. The ceramic electronic componentproduced by this method can be thinner than the type in which anexternal electrode is not embedded in a ceramic base.

This patent literature also describes an increase in the adhesion of anexternal electrode by embedding the external electrode in the ceramicbase.

However, if a reduction in the thickness is achieved by embedding anexternal electrode in a ceramic base, as described in theabove-mentioned patent literature, the reliability of the ceramicelectronic component may decrease.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, preferred embodiments of the present invention provide ahighly reliable thin ceramic electronic component.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a ceramicelectronic component includes a ceramic base, first and second internalelectrodes, and first and second external electrodes. The ceramic baseincludes first and second opposed major surfaces extending along alongitudinal direction and a width direction, first and second opposedside surfaces extending along the longitudinal direction and a thicknessdirection, and first and second opposed end surfaces extending along thewidth direction and the thickness direction. The first and secondinternal electrodes are disposed in the ceramic base such that at leasta portion of one of the first internal electrode is opposed to at leasta portion of the second internal electrode in the thickness direction.The first external electrode includes a first section disposed on afirst end portion of the first major surface in the longitudinaldirection and is electrically coupled to the first internal electrode.The second external electrode includes a first section disposed on asecond end portion of the first major surface and is electricallycoupled to the second internal electrode. A region where the first andsecond internal electrodes are opposed to each other in the thicknessdirection defines an effective region that exhibits a specific electriccharacteristic. The first section of each of the first and secondexternal electrodes is opposed to the effective region in the thicknessdirection. The first section of each of the first and second externalelectrodes is embedded in the ceramic base along the thicknessdirection. A condition ( 1/10)t₀≦t₁≦(⅖)t₀ is satisfied, where t₀ is athickness of the first section of each of the first and second externalelectrodes and t₁ is a thickness of a portion in which the first sectionof each of the first and second external electrodes is embedded in theceramic base.

For the ceramic electronic component according to a specific preferredembodiment of the present invention, L/T<0.22 may preferably besatisfied, where L is the length of the ceramic base and T is thethickness of the ceramic base.

With various preferred embodiments of the present invention, because (1/10)t₀≦t₁≦(⅖)t₀ is satisfied, both a reduction in the thickness and anincrease in the reliability of a ceramic electronic component can beachieved.

The above and other elements, features, steps, characteristics andadvantages of the present invention will become more apparent from thefollowing detailed description of the preferred embodiments withreference to the attached drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a ceramic electronic componentaccording to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic side view of the ceramic electronic componentaccording to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along the line III-IIIin FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram in which the ceramic electronic componentaccording to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention isenlarged in part.

FIG. 5 is a schematic plan view of a ceramic green sheet on which aconductive pattern is formed.

FIG. 6 is a schematic plan view of a mother laminate.

FIG. 7 is a schematic cross-sectional view for describing a step ofpressing the mother laminate.

FIG. 8 is a schematic perspective view of a ceramic electronic componentaccording to a second preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a schematic perspective view of a ceramic electronic componentaccording to a third preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a ceramic electroniccomponent according to Comparative Example 1.

FIG. 11 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a ceramic electroniccomponent according to Comparative Example 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS First PreferredEmbodiment

A preferred embodiment of the present invention is described below usinga ceramic electronic component 1 illustrated in FIG. 1 as an example.The ceramic electronic component 1 is merely an example of a preferredembodiment of the present invention. The present invention is notlimited to the ceramic electronic component 1 and a method of producingit described below.

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a ceramic electronic componentaccording to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention. FIG.2 is a schematic side view of the ceramic electronic component accordingto the first preferred embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is aschematic cross-sectional view taken along the line III-III in FIG. 1.FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram in which the ceramic electronic componentaccording to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention isenlarged in part.

First, an exemplary configuration of the ceramic electronic component 1is described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4.

As illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3, the ceramic electronic component 1includes a ceramic base 10. The ceramic base 10 is preferably made of aceramic material that corresponds to the function of the ceramicelectronic component 1. Specifically, when the ceramic electroniccomponent 1 is a capacitor, the ceramic base 10 can be made of adielectric ceramic material. Specific examples of the dielectric ceramicmaterial can include barium titanate (BaTiO₃), calcium titanate(CaTiO₃), strontium titanate (SrTiO₃), and calcium ziroconium oxide(CaZrO₃). Depending on the desired properties of the ceramic electroniccomponent 1, an accessory ingredient, such as a manganese compound, amagnesium compound, a silicon compound, an iron compound, a chromiumcompound, a cobalt compound, a nickel compound, or a rear-earthcompound, may be added to the above-described ceramic material as themain ingredient.

When the ceramic electronic component 1 is a ceramic piezoelectricelement, the ceramic base 10 can be made of a piezoelectric ceramicmaterial. A specific example of the piezoelectric ceramic material canbe lead zirconate titanate (PZT) ceramic material.

When the ceramic electronic component 1 is a thermistor element, theceramic base 10 can be made of a semiconductor ceramic material. Aspecific example of the semiconductor ceramic material can be a spinelceramic material.

When the ceramic electronic component 1 is an inductor element, theceramic base 10 can be made of a magnetic ceramic material. A specificexample of the magnetic ceramic material can be a ferrite ceramicmaterial.

The ceramic base 10 has a substantially rectangular parallelepipedshape. As illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3, the ceramic base 10 includesfirst and second major surfaces 10 a and 10 b, first and second sidesurfaces 10 c and 10 d, and first and second end surfaces 10 e and 10 f.As illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3, the first and second major surfaces 10 aand 10 b extend along the longitudinal direction L and the widthdirection W. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the first and second sidesurfaces 10 c and 10 d extend along the thickness direction T and thelongitudinal direction L. As illustrated in FIG. 3, the first and secondend surfaces 10 e and 10 f extend along the thickness direction T andthe width direction W.

In this specification, the “substantially rectangular parallelepipedshape” includes rectangular parallelepiped shapes whose corners and/orridges are chamfered and/or rounded. That is, a member having the“substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape” indicates a generalmember including first and second major surfaces, first and second sidesurfaces, and first and second end surfaces. A portion or all of themajor surfaces, side surfaces, and end surfaces may have a depressionand/or projection. That is, each of the major surfaces, side surfaces,and end surfaces does not necessarily have to be flat.

The ceramic base 10 is not particularly limited to a particulardimension. When the thickness dimension is T, the longitudinal dimensionis L, and the width dimension is W of the ceramic base 10, it maypreferably be a thin structure that satisfies T≦W<L, ⅕W≦T≦½W, and T≦0.3mm, for example. Specifically, 0.1 mm≦T≦0.3 mm, 0.4 mm≦L≦1 mm, and 0.2mm≦W≦0.5 mm may be preferable, for example.

The thickness of a ceramic layer 10 g (see FIG. 3) is not particularlylimited. The thickness of the ceramic layer 10 g can be about 0.5 μm toabout 10 μm, for example.

As illustrated in FIG. 3, a plurality of first and second internalelectrodes 11 and 12 having a substantially rectangular shape aredisposed inside the ceramic base 10. The first and second internalelectrodes 11 and 12 are alternately arranged at regular intervals alongthe thickness direction T and are substantially in parallel with thefirst and second major surfaces 10 a and 10 b.

As illustrated in FIG. 3, each of the first internal electrodes 11extends along the longitudinal direction L and the width direction W.The first internal electrode 11 is exposed to the first end surface 10 eof the ceramic base 10 and extends from the first end surface 10 etoward the second end surface 10 f. The first internal electrode 11 doesnot reach the second end surface 10 f and the first and second sidesurfaces 10 c and 10 d. Each of the second internal electrodes 12 alsoextends along the longitudinal direction L and the width direction W. Asillustrated in FIG. 3, the second internal electrode 12 is exposed tothe second end surface 10 f of the ceramic base 10 and extends from thesecond end surface 10 f toward the first end surface 10 e. The secondinternal electrode 12 does not reach the first end surface 10 e and thefirst and second side surfaces 10 c and 10 d. The first and secondinternal electrodes 11 and 12 are disposed at substantially the samelocation in the width direction W. Thus, in the substantially centralportion in the longitudinal direction L of the ceramic base 10, thefirst and second internal electrodes 11 and 12 are opposed to each othersuch that the ceramic layer 10 g is positioned therebetween. The firstand second internal electrodes 11 and 12 are not opposed to each otherin the thickness direction T at the opposite edges of the ceramic base10 in the longitudinal direction L.

The ceramic base 10 includes a region where the first and secondinternal electrodes 11 and 12 are opposed to each other. This regiondefines an effective region 10A serving the function as a capacitor.

The material of each of the first and second internal electrodes 11 and12 is not particularly limited. For example, the first and secondinternal electrodes 11 and 12 can be made of a metal, such as nickel,copper, silver, palladium, or gold, and an alloy that contains at leastone of these metals, such as an alloy of silver and palladium.

The thickness of each of the first and second internal electrodes 11 and12 is also not particularly limited. The thickness of each of the firstand second internal electrodes 11 and 12 can be about 0.3 μm to about 2μm, for example.

As illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3, first and second external electrodes 13and 14 are disposed on the surface of the ceramic base 10. The firstexternal electrode 13 is electrically coupled to the first internalelectrode 11. The first external electrode 13 includes a first section13 a on the first major surface 10 a, a second section 13 b on thesecond major surface 10 b, and a third section 13 c on the first endsurface 10 e. For the present preferred embodiment, the first externalelectrode 13 preferably extends over the end of each of the first andsecond side surfaces 10 c and 10 d by a small amount. Specifically, thelength of the first external electrode 13 on each of the first andsecond side surfaces 10 c and 10 d along the longitudinal direction L isshorter than one-half of the first section 13 a along the longitudinaldirection L. The first external electrode does not substantially projectfrom each of the first and second side surfaces 10 c and 10 d along thewidth direction W. In this way, the dimension in the width direction Wof the ceramic electronic component 1 can be reduced. Alternatively,substantially no first external electrode 13 may be disposed on thefirst and second side surfaces 10 c and 10 d.

The second external electrode 14 is electrically coupled to the secondinternal electrode 12. The second external electrode 14 includes a firstsection 14 a on the first major surface 10 a, a second section 14 b onthe second major surface 10 b, and a third section 14 c on the secondend surface 10 f. For the present preferred embodiment, the secondexternal electrode 14 extends over the edge of each of the first andsecond side surfaces 10 c and 10 d by a small amount. Specifically, thelength of the second external electrode 14 on each of the first andsecond side surfaces 10 c and 10 d along the longitudinal direction L isshorter than one-half of the first section 14 a along the longitudinaldirection L. The second external electrode 14 does not substantiallyproject from each of the first and second side surfaces 10 c and 10 dalong the width direction W. In this way, the dimension in the widthdirection W of the ceramic electronic component 1 can be reduced.Alternatively, substantially no second external electrode 14 may bedisposed on the first and second side surfaces 10 c and 10 d.

The first and second external electrodes 13 and 14 can be made of ametal, such as nickel, copper, silver, palladium, or gold, and an alloythat contains at least one of these metals, such as an alloy of silverand palladium, for example.

Each of the first and second external electrodes 13 and 14 preferablyincludes an inorganic binder. The inorganic binder is an ingredientincluded to increase the strength of bonding to the ceramic base 10.When the first and second external electrodes 13 and 14 are made byco-firing, the inorganic binder is also called a common material and maybe a ceramic material of the same type as the ceramic material containedin the ceramic base 10, for example. The inorganic binder may be aceramic material whose main ingredient is the same as that of theceramic material contained in the ceramic base 10. When the first andsecond external electrodes 13 and 14 are made by post-firing, theinorganic binder may also be a glass ingredient, for example.

The content of the inorganic binder of each of the first and secondexternal electrodes 13 and 14 may preferably be in the range of about40% by volume to about 60% by volume, for example.

A plating layer may be disposed on the first and second externalelectrodes 13 and 14. The plating layer may include a plurality oflayers. The plating layer may preferably be made of a metal selectedfrom the group consisting of copper, nickel, tin, lead, gold, silver,palladium, aluminum, bismuth, and zinc or an alloy that contains themetal, for example.

In particular, when the ceramic electronic component 1 is embedded in acircuit board, the outermost plating layer may preferably be made of ametal selected from the group consisting of copper, gold, silver, andaluminum or an alloy that contains the metal, for example. This isbecause, if a laser beam that can pass through the circuit board isemitted toward the first and second external electrodes 13 and 14 inembedding, these metals can efficiently reflect that laser beam.

The thickness of a single plating layer may preferably be about 1 μm toabout 10 μm, for example.

For the present preferred embodiment, a portion of each of the first andsecond sections 13 a and 13 b of the first external electrode 13 and thefirst and second sections 14 a and 14 b of the second external electrode14 is opposed to the effective region 10A in the thickness direction T.

A portion of the first sections 13 a and 14 a of the first and secondexternal electrodes 13 and 14 is embedded in the first major surface 10a, and a portion of the second sections 13 b and 14 b thereof isembedded in the second major surface 10 b. Thus, of the first and secondmajor surfaces 10 a and 10 b, a portion on which the first and secondsections 13 a, 13 b, 14 a, and 14 b are disposed is more centered in thethickness direction than a portion on which the first and secondsections 13 a, 13 b, 14 a, and 14 b are not disposed.

For the present preferred embodiment, ( 1/10)t₀≦t₁≦(⅖)t₀ is preferablysatisfied, where t₀ is the thickness of each of the first and secondsections 13 a and 13 b of the first external electrode 13 and the firstand second sections 14 a and 14 b of the second external electrode 14(exclusive of the thickness of the plating layer) and t₁ is thethickness of each of the portion in which the first sections 13 a and 14a of the first and second external electrodes 13 and 14 are embedded inthe first major surface 10 a and the portion in which the secondsections 13 b and 14 b thereof are embedded in the second major surface10 b. Therefore, both a reduced thickness and increased reliability ofthe ceramic electronic component can be achieved.

If t₁ is less than ( 1/10)t₀, the adherence of the first and secondsections 13 a and 13 b of the first external electrode 13 and the firstand second sections 14 a and 14 b of the second external electrode 14 tothe ceramic base 10 is so low that the first and second sections 13 a,13 b, 14 a, and 14 b tend to be separated from the ceramic base 10 andthis may reduce the reliability. Also, if t₁ is less than ( 1/10)t₀, thethickness t₂ of a portion in which the first and second sections 13 aand 13 b of the first external electrode 13 and the first and secondsections 14 a and 14 b of the second external electrode 14 are notembedded in the ceramic base 10 is too large and this may lead to aninsufficient reduction in the thickness of the ceramic electroniccomponent.

In contrast, if t₁ is more than (⅖)·t₀, the reliability of the ceramicelectronic component may decrease. The reason for this can be that alarge stress applied to the first and second internal electrodes 11 and12 when the first sections 13 a and 14 a and the second sections 13 band 14 b are embedded in the first and second major surfaces 10 a and 10b, respectively, may damage the first and second internal electrodes 11and 12, and this may result in being unable to acquire a desiredcapacity or may cause a short circuit.

For the present preferred embodiment, t₀ can be about 3 μm to about 20μm, for example.

An example method of manufacturing the ceramic electronic component 1according to the present preferred embodiment is described next.

First, a ceramic green sheet 20 (see FIG. 5) that contains a ceramicmaterial for use in forming the ceramic base 10 is prepared. Then, asillustrated in FIG. 5, conductive paste is applied onto the ceramicgreen sheet 20 to form a conductive pattern 21. The conductive paste canbe applied by various printing processes, including screen printing. Theconductive paste may contain a publicly known binder or solvent, inaddition to conductive particles.

Then, a ceramic green sheet 20 on which no conductive pattern 21 isformed and another ceramic green sheet 20 on which the conductivepattern 21 is formed are stacked such that they are displaced from eachother along the longitudinal direction L, and they are pressed by, forexample, a hydrostatic press, in the stacking direction to produce amother laminate 22 illustrated in FIG. 6.

Then, as illustrated in FIG. 6, a conductive pattern 23 corresponding tothe shape of a portion that is to define the first and second sections13 a and 13 b of the first external electrode 13 and the first andsecond sections 14 a and 14 b of the second external electrode 14 isformed on the mother laminate 22 by an appropriate process, such asscreen printing.

Then, the mother laminate 22 is pressed again by, for example, ahydrostatic press, in the stacking direction. With this pressing step,the conductive pattern 23 is partially embedded. The amount of embedmentof the conductive pattern 23 can be adjusted by adjustment of, forexample, the amount of pressing, the pressure of pressing, or hardnessor modulus of elasticity of a member that comes into contact with themother laminate 22 in pressing.

Specifically, for example, if the mother laminate 22 is pressed while noelastic body is present between an opposing die and each of both majorsurfaces of the mother laminate 22, the amount of embedment of theconductive pattern 23 is large. In contrast, as illustrated in FIG. 7,if the mother laminate 22 is pressed while elastic bodies 24 a and 24 b,such as rubber, are present between an opposing die and both majorsurfaces of the mother laminate 22, the amount of embedment isrelatively small. The amount of embedment can be adjusted by adjustmentof, for example, the modulus of elasticity of the elastic bodies 24 aand 24 b.

Then, the mother laminate 22 is cut along an imaginary cut line CL toproduce a plurality of green ceramic laminates from the mother laminate22. The mother laminate 22 can be cut by dicing or by pressing down.

After the production of green ceramic laminates, their corners andridges may be chamfered or rounded and their surface layers may bepolished by barrel polishing or other polishing processes.

After that, conductive paste is applied on both end surfaces of each ofthe green ceramic laminates by, for example, dipping. With this, aconductive paste layer is also formed on both end surfaces of theceramic laminate.

Then, the green ceramic laminate is fired. In this firing step, theabove-described conductive paste layer is fired at the same time(co-fired). The co-firing temperature can be set to any value byselecting the type of a ceramic material or conductive paste to be used.The co-firing temperature can be set to about 900° C. to about 1300° C.,for example.

After that, polishing, such as barrel polishing, is preferablyperformed.

The formation of the first and second external electrodes 13 and 14 iscompleted by the application of plating onto the conductive paste layerformed by co-firing.

Other preferred embodiments of the present invention are describedbelow. In the following description, members having substantially thesame function as in the first preferred embodiment are referred to bythe same reference numerals, and the detailed description thereof isomitted.

Second Preferred Embodiment

FIG. 8 is a schematic perspective view of a ceramic electronic componentaccording to a second preferred embodiment of the present invention.

The first preferred embodiment is an example in which both the first andsecond external electrodes 13 and 14 are disposed on each of the firstand second major surfaces 10 a and 10 b. However, preferred embodimentsof the present invention are not limited to this configuration and canbe any configuration as long as at least one external electrode isdisposed on the first major surface 10 a.

For example, as illustrated in FIG. 8, the first and second externalelectrodes 13 and 14 may be disposed so as to cover the first majorsurface 10 a and one of the first and second end surfaces 10 e and 10 f.That is, the first and second external electrodes 13 and 14 are notlimited to particular shapes as long as the first and second externalelectrodes 13 and 14 include the first sections 13 a and 14 a,respectively, and are electrically coupled to the first and secondinternal electrodes 11 and 12, respectively.

Third Preferred Embodiment

FIG. 9 is a schematic perspective view of a ceramic electronic componentaccording to a third preferred embodiment of the present invention.

The first preferred embodiment is an example in which the first andsecond internal electrodes 11 and 12 extend to the first and second endsurfaces 10 e and 10 f, respectively, the first and second externalelectrodes 13 and 14 are disposed on the first and second end surfaces10 e and 10 f, respectively, and the first and second internalelectrodes 11 and 12 are thus electrically coupled to the first andsecond external electrodes 13 and 14, respectively. However, preferredembodiments of the present invention are not limited to thisconfiguration.

For example, as illustrated in FIG. 9, via-hole electrodes 25 a and 25 bmay be provided, the first and second internal electrodes 11 and 12 mayconnect to the first and second major surfaces 10 a and 10 b,respectively, and the first and second internal electrodes 11 and 12 maybe electrically coupled to the first and second external electrodes 13and 14, respectively, at the first and second major surfaces 10 a and 10b. In this case, the first and second external electrodes 13 and 14 arerequired to be disposed on at least one of the first and second majorsurfaces 10 a and 10 b, and the first and second external electrodes 13and 14 do not necessarily have to be disposed on the first and secondside surfaces 10 c and 10 d and the first and second end surfaces 10 eand 10 f.

Example 1

By the manufacturing method described in the above-described firstpreferred embodiment, 100 ceramic electronic components havingsubstantially the same configuration as in the ceramic electroniccomponent 1 of the first preferred embodiment were produced under theconditions described below. For the present example, t₁ wasapproximately 1.4 μm and approximately ( 1/10)t₀.

Conditions in Example 1

Dimensions of Ceramic Electric Component: app. 1 mm long by app. 0.5 mmwide by app. 0.15 mm deep

Capacity of Ceramic Electric Component: app. 100 pF

Composition of Ceramic Base: BaTiO₃

External Electrode: nickel plating film having a thickness of app. 14 μm(t₀≈14 μm)

First Plating Film: copper plating film having a thickness of app. 4 μm(formed on external electrode)

Second Plating Film: copper plating film having a thickness of app. 3.5μm (formed on first plating film)

Maximum Firing Temperature: app. 1200° C.

Thickness of Elastic bodies 24 a and 24 b: app. 0.1 mm

Press Pressure: app. 70 MPa

Example 2

One hundred ceramic electronic components were produced under the sameconditions as in the above-described Example 1, except that the presspressure was approximately 77.2 MPa and t₁ was approximately 3.5 μm andapproximately (¼)t₀.

Example 3

One hundred ceramic electronic components were produced under the sameconditions as in the above-described Example 1, except that the presspressure was approximately 100 MPa and t₁ was approximately 5.6 μm andapproximately (⅖)t₀.

Comparative Example 1

One hundred ceramic electronic components were produced under the sameconditions as in the above-described Example 1, except that thethickness of each of the elastic bodies 24 a and 24 b was approximately0.2 mm, the press pressure was approximately 50 MPa, the externalelectrodes were not embedded, and t₁ was approximately zero, asillustrated in FIG. 10.

Comparative Example 2

One hundred ceramic electronic components were produced under the sameconditions as in the above-described Example 1, except that the elasticbodies 24 a and 24 b were replaced with rigid bodies, the press pressurewas approximately 77.2 MPa, and t₁ was approximately 7.0 μm andapproximately (½)t₀, as illustrated in FIG. 11.

In the description of Comparative Examples, for the sake of thedescription, members having a substantially common function to that inthe above-described first preferred embodiment are referred to by thecommon reference numerals.

Bonding Strength Test

For the 100 ceramic electronic components produced in each of Examples 1to 3 and Comparative Examples 1 and 2, the first and second sections ineach of the first and second external electrodes were observed by theuse of an optical microscope and checked for the presence or absence ofseparation. The number of samples in which separation was observed isshown in Table 1 below.

Electrostatic Capacity Test

For 30 randomly taken from 100 ceramic electronic components produced ineach of Examples 1 to 3 and Comparative Examples 1 and 2, theelectrostatic capacity was measure by the use of a C meter 4278A ofAgilent Technologies and checked for whether the electrostatic capacityhas reached a target electrostatic capacity (100 pF). The number ofsamples in which the electrostatic capacity has not reached the targetelectrostatic capacity (100 pF) is shown in Table 1 below.

TABLE 1 COM- PARA- TIVE COM- EXAM- EXAM- EXAM- EXAM- PARATIVE PLE PLEPLE PLE EXAMPLE 1 1 2 3 2 t₀ (μm) 14 14 14 14 14 t₁ (μm) 0 1.4 3.5 5.6 7t₁/t₀ 0 1/10 1/4 2/5 1/2 (1/10)t₀ 1.4 1.4 1.4 1.4 1.4 (2/5)t₀ 5.6 5.65.6 5.6 5.6 BONDING 3/100  0/100  0/100  0/100  0/100 STRENGTH TESTELECTROSTATIC 0/30  0/30  0/30  0/30  1/30 CAPACITY TEST

The results of Table 1 above reveal that high reliability is achieved ifthe condition ( 1/10)t₀≦t₁≦(⅖)t₀ is satisfied.

While preferred embodiments of the present invention have been describedabove, it is to be understood that variations and modifications will beapparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scopeand spirit of the present invention. The scope of the present invention,therefore, is to be determined solely by the following claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A ceramic electronic component comprising: aceramic base that includes first and second opposed major surfacesextending along a longitudinal direction and a width direction, firstand second opposed side surfaces extending along the longitudinaldirection and a thickness direction, and first and second opposed endsurfaces extending along the width direction and the thicknessdirection; first and second internal electrodes disposed in the ceramicbase such that at least a portion of the first internal electrode isopposed to the second internal electrode in the thickness direction; afirst external electrode that includes a first section disposed on afirst end portion of the first major surface in the longitudinaldirection and that is electrically coupled to the first internalelectrode; and a second external electrode that includes a first sectiondisposed on a second end portion of the first major surface and that iselectrically coupled to the second internal electrode; wherein a regionwhere the first and second internal electrodes are opposed to each otherin the thickness direction defines an effective region that exhibits aspecific electric characteristic; the first section of each of the firstand second external electrodes is opposed to the effective region in thethickness direction; the first section of each of the first and secondexternal electrodes is embedded in the ceramic base along the thicknessdirection; and ( 1/10)t₀≦t₁≦(⅖)t₀ is satisfied, where t₀ is a thicknessof the first section of each of the first and second external electrodesand t₁ is a thickness of a portion in which the first section of each ofthe first and second external electrodes is embedded in the ceramicbase.
 2. The ceramic electronic component according to claim 1, whereinthe first external electrode further includes a second section disposedon a first end portion of the second major surface in the longitudinaldirection and a third section disposed on the first end surface of theceramic body; and the second external electrode further includes asecond section disposed on a second end portion of the second majorsurface in the longitudinal direction and a third section disposed onthe second end surface of the ceramic body.
 3. The ceramic electroniccomponent according to claim 1, wherein each of the first and secondexternal electrodes includes an inorganic binder.
 4. The ceramicelectronic component according to claim 3, wherein the inorganic binderis at least one of a ceramic material and a glass material.
 5. Theceramic electronic component according to claim 3, wherein a content ofthe inorganic binder in each of the first and second external electrodesis in a range of about 40% by volume to about 60% by volume.
 6. Theceramic electronic component according to claim 1, wherein at least oneplating layer is provided on each of the first and second externalelectrodes.
 7. The ceramic electronic component according to claim 1,wherein the thickness t₀ is in a range of about 3 μm to about 20 μm. 8.The ceramic electronic component according to claim 1, wherein the firstexternal electrode further includes a second section disposed on thefirst end surface of the ceramic body; and the second external electrodefurther includes a second section disposed on the second end surface ofthe ceramic body.
 9. The ceramic electronic component according to claim8, wherein no section of either of the first and second externalelectrodes is disposed on the second major surface.
 10. The ceramicelectronic component according to claim 1, wherein the first externalelectrode is electrically coupled to the first internal electrode by afirst via-hole electrode; and the second external electrode iselectrically coupled to the second internal electrode by a secondvia-hole electrode.
 11. The ceramic electronic component according toclaim 10, wherein the first and second via-hole electrodes extend in adirection from the first major surface to the second major surface. 12.The ceramic electronic component according to claim 10, wherein thefirst external electrode further includes a second section disposed on afirst end portion of the second major surface in the longitudinaldirection; the second external electrode further includes a secondsection disposed on a second end portion of the second major surface inthe longitudinal direction; ends of the first via-hole electrode aredirectly electrically and physically connected to the first and secondsections of the first external electrode; and ends of the secondvia-hole electrode are directly electrically and physically connected tothe first and second sections of the second external electrode.